Last week Intel announced an initial investment of more than $20 billion in the construction of two new leading-edge chip factories in Ohio’s Licking County, just outside of Columbus. To support the development of the new site, Intel announced an additional $100 million investment in partnerships with educational institutions to build a pipeline of talent and bolster research programs in the region, which is home to Ohio State, Denison University and Central Ohio Technical College.
As our homepage map shows, Happy Valley is right in the middle of this emerging brain belt that’s ripe with opportunity for partnerships between big tech and big universities.
More about the Intel announcement:
As the largest single private-sector investment in Ohio history, the initial phase of the project is expected to create 3,000 Intel jobs and 7,000 construction jobs over the course of the build, and to support tens of thousands of additional local long-term jobs across a broad ecosystem of suppliers and partners. Spanning nearly 1,000 acres right outside of Columbus, the “mega-site” can accommodate a total of eight chip factories – also known as “fabs” – as well as support operations and ecosystem partners. At full buildout, the total investment in the site could grow to as much as $100 billion over the next decade, making it one of the largest semiconductor manufacturing sites in the world.
“Semiconductors make almost every facet of modern life possible – from computers and smart phones to cars and appliances – and they played an integral role in the technologies that enabled us to stay connected throughout the pandemic,” said Kristina M. Johnson, president of The Ohio State University, who attended the press announcement. “They will also be integral to a wide range of applications in which Ohio State is actively involved from a research perspective, including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, vaccine development and more. So, it’s a natural fit for Ohio State, along with our fellow institutions of higher education, to partner on this game-changing investment in semiconductor manufacturing. Today’s announcement is significant for Ohio, for Intel and for the national interest, as we are still in the midst of a global chip shortage. But it also presents a remarkable opportunity for current and future students. It will cement Ohio as a top magnet for retaining and attracting a new generation of talent and build on numerous opportunities under development within our state’s colleges and universities, including at Ohio’s innovation districts, which are already taking shape in partnership with JobsOhio.”
“Today’s investment marks another significant way Intel is leading the effort to restore U.S. semiconductor manufacturing leadership,” said Pat Gelsinger, CEO of Intel. “Intel’s actions will help build a more resilient supply chain and ensure reliable access to advanced semiconductors for years to come. Intel is bringing leading capability and capacity back to the United States to strengthen the global semiconductor industry. These factories will create a new epicenter for advanced chipmaking in the U.S. that will bolster Intel’s domestic lab-to-fab pipeline and strengthen Ohio’s leadership in research and high tech.”
Read full press announcements from Ohio State and Intel:
Comments
Powered by WP LinkPress